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They say that internet dating thing really works -- especially if you're a white male. But in the rush to OkCupid our lonely nights away, we may have missed a step. If you're going for the artificially-constructed meet-and-greet, you may as well do it in person, right? Maximum awkwardness! That's what the slew of alterna-dating events that are giggling and cautiously offering to buy you a drink this VD season are promising (no glove no love!). Below, five of the hipper – bikes! books! --options for those looking to be paired off before this warm snap ends and we all go back to our dens.

B3 Impertinent Question: And so we have a timely test for the new mayor and the four new supervisors. Will they support good consumer and environmental legislation, setting a major national precedent, or will they do a Newsom and go with the Chamber of Commerce and Big Pharma lobbyists from Washington, D.C., dispatched to City Hall to kill this bill?

Mayor Lee and Big Pharma

EDITORIAL A piece of simple, logical legislation that would protect San Francisco consumers, public safety, and the environment appears headed for the desk of Mayor Ed Lee — and his signature would be the first clear sign that he's not going to let powerful lobbyists (or the legacy of Gavin Newsom) guide his decisions.

The bill, by Sup. Ross Mirkarimi, would establish several secure places where people can drop off unused, unwanted, or expired pharmaceuticals for safe disposal. It seems so simple: every year, huge amounts of prescription meds are flushed down toilets or left around in medicine cabinets or drawers in the city. As much as one-third of all medicine purchased in the country is never used. The stuff that goes down the drain already has had a proven impact on aquatic life; the pills that never get thrown away are a hazard, particularly in households with small children. Read more »

Like every political junkie in this state, I was fascinated to hear that Republican operatives think there's a problem with their "brand." It's simple: Even when the state's voters approve horrible right-wing anti-tax measures, they don't seem willing to vote for Republicans. Read more »

Amnesty International reminds us that despite President Obama’s promise two years ago to shut down the Guantánamo Bay detention center, it remains open. The activist organization will hold a panel discussion on torture and human rights tomorrow (Wed/26), which is the second anniversary of his promise. Read more »

In the three weeks since Chris Daly left the Board of Supervisors, the bar he bought – Buck Tavern, to be renamed Daly's Dive next month – has become a popular place for progressives to commiserate and conspire with one another. And many of them plan to gather there this evening for the State of the Union speech by President Obama, who has been a disappointment to many leftists.

“The good news is for this year's State of the Union, we have a pub, we'll be serving the hard stuff, and the faithful might need that,” said Daly, who will be behind the bar.Read more »

It seems that whenever I go to the circus, I leave the show wanting to join the circus. And I'm not talking about the desire to perfect my juggling skills or become an expert in improvised clowning. My circus ambitions lie in the urge to become a trapeze artist. That should be pretty easy, right?

If you happened to see the Circus Center's New Pickle Circus this past weekend at the Jewish Community Center, you probably left the show with the same feeling.

The supervisors will hear a recommendation from the Rules Committee Jan. 25th to appoint Richard Johns to a seat on the Historic Preservation Commission. These things typically aren't that controversial -- but there will probably be a fight over this one. And it's significant because of what it says about the new board committees appointed by board President David Chiu.Read more »

Though I have more than a few food obsessions, there’s something about authentic food and wine from the Germanic countries that comforts me on a profound level. Maybe it’s my German Miller (or Mueller) family heritage on my Dad’s side or the satisfying straightforwardness of dishes like dumplings or sauerkraut. Either way, there’s not enough food around from that region as far as I’m concerned. So it is with great delight I witness the opening of two unique restaurants. Read more »

In today's episode, we discuss the economics of pearl-handled dildoes -- and how supply, demand and income inequality impact the unemployment rate. Just in time for the State of the Union speech. You can check it out after the jump. Read more »

Challenging George Gascón in the District Attorney's race isn’t going to be a cake walk, even though he was Newsom’s former police chief and was registered as Republican until Newsom appointed him D.A. a few weeks ago.

Assessor-Recorder Phil Ting’s campaign for mayor is trying to rile up San Francisco’s car drivers with a new petition called “San Francisco Parking Ticket Overload,” but it seems to be misrepresenting the situation to score election season points.Read more »

Maybe your hands brushed while browsing the vinyl jazz bins at Amoeba. Maybe she caught up with you on the new Valencia bike lanes to compliment your ride. Or perhaps your kite strings got entangled on Marina Green one windy afternoon ...

If you found your special someone in a very special way, enter our first annual SFBG Meet-Cute Contest! No matter how improbable, mystifying, funny, weird, or, yes, mushy, we want to know how you met your sweetie (or sweeties) for the Guardian's Valentines Issue.

Tell us in 100 words or less your personal meet-cute story by Thursday, February 3. We'll pick our 10 favorites and publish them in our Valentine's Issue, coming out Feb. 9. One lucky participant, drawn at random, will win a date at Yoshi's San Francisco worth $160! (Dinner and a live show with your honey -- how can you beat that?)

A horde of salt marsh mice scurry down Market Street. Salmon leap across Divisadero traffic. Blue Mission butterflies cover your #22 Fillmore. If you haven’t been doing any wildlife-spotting recently, keep those binoculars close by. A new MUNI art program seeks to bring endangered species to the forefront of our transit consciousness -- making our much-maligned buses prettier to look at, and bringing Bay nature back into our daily lives all in one fell swoop.

Visual artist Todd Gilens and an installation team wrapped four city buses with large-scale images of local endangered wildlife in their natural abodes as part of a project called “Endangered Species.” In a space normally reserved for advertisements for bail bondsmen or the new season of Real Housewives, you can now peep aforementioned mice broods and threatened fish and bugs. Gilens came up with the idea after the publication of a municipal transportation agency’s transit effectiveness project. The report used stats to measure the efficacy of SF public transit, but the visual artist felt that something was missing from the survey's findings: namely, the community presence of our modes of public transportation.